


If you want peace, prepare for war

by badwolf_doctor



Series: {Let me lay waste to thee} [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Quinncident, Quinn feels some guilt, Vex'ikale is a mess, there's some bonding and some yearning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27995715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolf_doctor/pseuds/badwolf_doctor
Summary: A place for some of my shorter ficlets about my Sith Warrior, Vex'ikale.
Series: {Let me lay waste to thee} [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1500239





	If you want peace, prepare for war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn patches up an injured Sith Lord and ponders the future.

“My Lord,” Quinn was startled to find Vex’ikale curled up on the couch in the common area. The entire crew had been given shore-leave on Dromund Kaas and weren’t scheduled to be back for another three days.

Quinn had planned to use that time to finish up some paperwork without distractions, but instead, he was faced with what looked like a badly injured Sith.

Carefully, he nudged the couch that Vex was laying on, “My Lord, you’re bleeding all over the commons.”

Vex’ikale’s hair was streaked with red, and his blue shirt had turned purple in a startling number of places. He looked quite a mess. 

Darth Baras had planted him here to keep an eye on his apprentice, to gain his trust until the moment Baras gave him the command to kill him. Quinn’s goal was to get as close as he could to Vex’ikale without letting himself be compromised by that closeness. It was a fine and difficult line to walk; Vex’ikale was the sort of man that in another life, Quinn would have followed willingly.

Vex’ikale cared greatly about the Empire, in making it better. It was admirable, the way he had devoted himself to such a cause despite the odds of it succeeding. And while Quinn wouldn’t say that he’d been  _ compromised _ by his closeness with Vex (when the time came, he would do his duty, nothing more and nothing less), he did admire the man and all he stood for.

Baras still had plans for his wayward apprentice, so letting the man bleed to death now would upset Darth Baras immensely. Few men survived Baras’ anger. And if Quinn wanted to further his military career, he  **needed** to survive. Thankfully, Quinn had medical training and was confident he could patch the sith up with little effort.

Vex’ikale cracked one eye open with a groan, pushing himself up into a sitting position as Quinn nudged the couch a second time. Quinn couldn’t stop the small gasp of shock as he took in the state his current commander was in--Vex’s shirt was in shreds on one side and a series of gashes and at least one blaster wound marred the skin there.

  
  


“What happened?” Quinn inquired with a frown. Vex’ikale was a skilled warrior and was a man who knew that not every situation could be solved by violence. So, what exactly had happened to him?

Vex grinned up at him through split lips, “Stupid decisions,” he replied, voice rough. “You should see the other guys though.”

Quinn sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes by pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off the headache that was beginning to form. “You need medical attention.”

“I’ll be fine, Captain,” Vex replied stubbornly, “At most I need a shower and a nap.”

“Vex’ikale, let me help.” That caught the Sith’s attention, judging by the way his focus snapped to Quinn’s face and the surprised expression. Quinn never called him by name, at least not to his face and he rarely used such a soft tone with him.

Quinn would have to be blind to miss the fact that the Sith was attracted to him. And if he could use that to his advantage, he would. There was a small part of him that was quite attracted to Vex as well, but he did his best to ignore it. He  _ couldn’t _ fall for this man, because if he did, he’d fail Lord Baras and that would mean his death. A pretty face would not be the reason for Quinn’s failure.

“Alright Quinn, I leave myself in your capable hands,” Vex said.

  
  


Quinn sighed again. “Stay put,” he ordered, heading to grab the medical kit from the infirmary.

“I love it when you’re bossy!” Vex called after him and Quinn could hear the grin in his voice.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Vex’ikale knew when to walk away from a fight unless there was pride on the line. So, when he’d run across a few of his father’s lackeys and they’d insulted him  _ and _ his crew, well, Vex had let good sense fly out the window. After all, he may not have been a traditional sith in many ways, but he  _ was _ still sith and rage was what they did best. Where his father was concerned, Vex’ikale’s rage was blinding. At least he’d won the fight. It would have been downright embarrassing if he’d lost to that old bastard’s flunkies.

Of course, he hadn’t walked away unscathed. And the lingering effects of one of his father’s attempts to murder him made it difficult for him to tell when he was injured, and how badly. He didn’t  _ think _ he was hurt badly enough to matter--he’d been hurt far worse in the Academy.

But Quinn was worried about him. And the last thing Vex’ikale wanted to do was make any of his crew worry about him--especially not Quinn. Perhaps it was unwise to develop feelings for someone that served under him. But he had. There was something incredibly sexy about both Quinn’s love of protocol and that whole ‘all-buttoned-up’ look; it made Vex wonder what he would look like if he let go a little bit. 

Maybe nothing would come of it, but as long as there was a chance, Vex would take it. And the soft way Quinn had said his name made him believe whatever was going on between them wasn’t entirely one-sided. 

Or, maybe he was dreaming. But, Vex preferred to be optimistic about all things. There were already enough in the Empire spewing doom and gloom--his master included. Vex had no illusions about his master; Baras was a means to an end. He did not trust the Lord or even like him. But to achieve anything, an apprentice needed a master--at least until they didn’t.

The problem with the Dark Council (and Sith in general, in Vex’s opinion) was that they were all so focused on scrambling for power or trying to kill one another that they couldn’t be effective soldiers of the Empire. Vex’ikale’s loyalty was to the Empire as a whole, not to his master or the Dark Council. Maybe that meant he was living on borrowed time, but he would at least go out fighting to make things better for  _ everyone _ ; he wouldn’t be like his father, so wrapped up in his search for power and prestige that he would sacrifice those he  _ should _ have protected. Vex’s crew was his family, and he would protect them first, always.

  
  


Quinn returned with the med-kit in hand, setting it on the couch next to Vex, before kneeling in front of him. Vex’ikale took a moment to simply observe his most loyal soldier. Quinn was, by all standards, beautiful. And Vex’ikale would be the first to admit that he let it distract him on occasion. Quinn continually rebuffed any and all advances, but he didn’t seem to truly mind it so much. 

“I’m afraid there’s no saving this shirt, my lord,” Quinn said, not waiting for Vex’s response before taking a blade to it and cutting it off him. 

Quinn once again couldn’t keep a lid on his surprise. He’d known that Vex’ikale would be covered in scars—anyone that engaged in battle regularly would. But he had not expected the extent to which Vex’ikale was covered in them. 

The scarring on his face was soft and had been tended to with meticulous care, but the matching set of scars that covered his torso and arm had not been; they were dark and rough, angry-looking and awful. How could any man hate his child enough to do this to them? Quinn couldn’t stop himself from reaching out a hand to brush his fingers across them.

“I know, I’m a right mess,” Vex said, the grin evident in his tone. Quinn certainly wouldn’t argue with that. 

At the sound of Vex’ikale’s voice, Quinn snatched his hand back as if he’d been burned. Clearing his throat to chase away whatever the heavy feeling was that had settled over him. Then, he set about cleaning and tending to the worst of the injuries on Vex’s chest.

“What would you have done if I had left on shore-leave with the others?” Quinn asked, pressing a kolto-bandage to the gashes on Vex’s side.

The Sith laughed at that, and Quinn’s traitorous heart skipped a beat at the sound of it.

“Please Quinn, you wouldn’t take shore-leave if I ordered you,” Vex replied. “That’s one of the things I like best about you—you’re a diligent worker,” Vex paused as Quinn moved to take care of the head wound, brushing soft hair out of the sith’s face. “I wish you  _ would  _ take a break though Quinn; it’s not good to work all the time.”

“I assure you that I’ll be fine, my lord,” Quinn said with a frown. He could physically feel the worry for his well-being rolling off Vex’ikale in waves. A pang of guilt went through him, though he buried it as quickly as he could. He shouldn’t feel guilty about his inevitable betrayal of this man, because he was never really Vex’s man in the first place—he was Baras’. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from feeling the teensiest bit guilty.

After all, Vex’ikale had supported him, encouraged him, looked after him all this time—cared for him greatly, and someday soon, Quinn was going to stab this man in the back. Vex didn’t deserve that. But it was what Baras wanted and Quinn would do his duty no matter how much it pained him.

Quinn tilted Vex’s head to the side to gain better access to the cut on his head and, to his surprise, Vex leaned into the touch, letting his eyes slip shut.

“There,” Quinn announced. “I’m satisfied that you’re no longer going to bleed to death.”

Vex opened his eyes and grinned at Quinn. “Thank you for the assistance Quinn,” he said.

“You should get some sleep, my lord,” Quinn advised.

“I’ll be fine,” Vex waved it off.

“Please, my lord…”

Vex’ikale sighed, “Oh alright, I’ll even retire to my quarters if it’ll keep you from looking at me like that.” Vex managed to push himself up to his feet, but his legs gave out on him before he’d even taken a single step.

Quinn managed to keep the Sith from falling to the floor and Vex had the good sense to look sheepish.

“Alright, so I  _ do  _ need to take it easy—you were right.” He admitted.

Quinn hid a smirk at the words, “Can I assist you to your quarters, my lord?”

“Yes please,” Asking for help wasn’t easy for a Sith and especially not for Vex’ikale. History had proven that anyone who offered to help him either wanted something from him or were planning to stab him in the back the first chance they got.

But Vette had been a softening influence on him, and he was at least willing to trust his crew.

They managed to make it to Vex’s cabin; the Sith leaned heavily upon Quinn. The door slid open and Quinn helped Vex into the room and onto the bed, stripping off his boots before tucking Vex in under the covers.

“Thank you,” Vex said quietly, “It’s nice to have someone to rely on.”

“I live to serve,” Quinn replied.

“Quinn, do me a favor,” Vex’ikale called out before he left the room, the soldier turned on his heels to face the Sith. “Take a break from work, for me?”

Quinn bowed his head, “As you wish.” 


End file.
